Rectifier tube



Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES P FIICQETI connan'scrircxnnnmo, OF EAST OR NGE, NEWJERsEY, "ASSiGNORTO nonTEns sonrcxnianme, OF EAST onaneE, NEW JERSEY.

f EECTIEIEB. TUBE.

Application filed June 3, 1925. Serial No. 34,680.

. This invention relates to radio apparatus Fig. 6 is a diagram showinga manner of and has particular reference to the art of rectifyingcurrents, broadcasting of mes sages, receiving the same, and particular-1y with reference to the elimination of storage batteries or theirequivalent for the required energy in'the operation of such apparatus.

More definitely stated, among the objects 0 of this invention is topracticalize the direct connection of radio equipment to ordinary houselighting currents, thus eliminating the necessity for the-use ofbatteries.

Another object of the invention is to rectify and stabilize the currentsemployed in conthe purpose of producing the most satisfac nection withthe operation of'this intricate apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of vacuumtube for tory degree of volume in the transmission or reception of radiowaves and with the highest degree of per'fection of quality of suchtones.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, andwhile the invention is' not restricted to the exact detailsof construction disclosed or suggested herein,

I still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof,reference is hadto the accompanying drawings in which likerefer encecharacters designate the same partsin the several views, and 1n wh1ch F1ure 1 is a front elevation of one form of this invention, parts being insect-ion, -this form being designed particularly as a B batteryeliminator.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal detail view on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 indicating theelectrodes in plan.

'Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, of that form of theinvention designed especially for use as an A battery eliminator.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the electrode portionsof this device asshown in Fig. 3', biit with the adjacent plate removed. Fig. 5 is a planview of the inner mechanism,

use of the invention. 1

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 10 is a vacuum tubeshown as provided with a metallic base 11 and a series of contact pinsincluding the pins P and F cor'-'. responding to the usual plate andfilament pins of a standard radio tube. This tube is provided with apedestal 12 usually madeof glass and adapted to support in erectposition a series of posts or supports 13, 14, 15,16, and 1.7. Thesupport, 17 is'extended upward through a glass neck or extension '18from the pedestal and bears at its upper end an electrode 19 of anysuitable metal such as nickelychrome nickel, or steel,

and suitably charged or impregnated with a volatile metal such asmagnesium or calcium, or having attached to it a small bit of such metalas indicated at 20.

Supported rigidly and securely upon the supports 13, 14, 15, and 16 is atubular casing 21. This casing is made: preferably of two metallicplates having'registering semi-cylindrical body portions and with flatfins mating with one" another in pairs at 22 which are preferably spotWelded together forming a complete tube but having freely open upper andlower'ends and spaced entirely from the electrode 19. A-lead wire 23 isconnected to one of the supporting posts as 16 and is extended thencetothe contact P, so that the casing or tube made be thought of in thebroad sense of a plate. The'supports 14 and 15 are extended upward welltoward the top of the tube for the best bracing purpose. The centerelectrode is provided with a leading in wire 24 having connection withthe contact F, one of the filament contacts above alluded to. There is,however, no solid or hysical contacts or connection in any manner tween10 is exhausted of air in any usual or well known manner as by a vacuumpump and in place ofthe air is Introduced one or more the electrode 19and the plate which may be regarded as the companion electrode.

Inthe construction'of this tube the bulb gases of a suitable nature toproduce there-1% sults desired. For this purpose Ihave employedhelium,argon, neon, and nitrogen n various proportions, but I believefor best results in approximately equal parts and at a suitable degreeof ressure. The bulb 10 is made preferably 0 clear glass andrequires nobombardment or coating. When the parts are completed and charged asindicated herein and the electrodes are heated up, the volatile metal ormetals carried by the center electrode 19 are volatilized, producing. ametallic gas such as magnesium gas or calcium gas, or any suitablecombination-ofsuch gases, which mingling with the main gases filling thetube, serve to produce in the combination the results specified.

When the tube is introduced intd a socket such as indicated in thediagram at and in circuit with a suitable reactance transformer 26 inorder to convert the alternating current to direct current, and toestablish a sufliciently high voltage, say from 110 to 290 or 300 volts,the electric current causes the electrode 19 to glow and becomeincandescent, and coincident therewith the plate or tube 21 glows andgives off a dull red light. The tube as a whole becomes warm but nothot, and the result is that the B battery is not necessary and the radioinstrument coupled into the same current will follow the priming sparkdiscircuit as at 27 Tproduces the best possible radio results. emagnesium or calcium being of a highly reactive nature is capable ofcombining with the impurities in the gas in the tube. This is important,since the electrodes may generate nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, orhydrogen, which must be removed to permit the potential of the tube tobe uniform. At each discharge from the cathode, a minute quantity ofmagnesium or calcium is vaporized and this readily combines with thegaseous impurities. However, the tube should be initially operated a fewtimes with a sufliciently high potential to vaporize some of the calciumor magnesium, thereby purifying the gas so as to insure that the dynamiccharge.

In the A battery eliminator as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, I provide a centercathode 19.having a deposit of a metal of high chemical activity thereonat 20 substantially or approximately in the manner as described aboveand this electrode has a leading in wire 24. connected with one of thefilament studs of the standard or any suitable base. The tube, however,'has no filament. The pedestal 12 is prbvided with a glass extension orneck 18 around which is fitted and 'by it held in place, a quartzorother tube 28 of "porous refractory insulating material leading up tobut stopping slightly short of the end of the electrode 19.. This quartz'tube is impregnated with some suitable element or metal of highchemical activity such as thorium, strontium, calcium, barium, or thelike. having the properties among others of giving oil? a metallic gaswhen warmed or heated.

Either in connection with this impregnation of the tube or as asubstitute for such impregnation I employ a cathode coil 29 of fine wire.such as tungsten and suitably thoriated, and

wrapped spirally around the tube and having its ends attached to asupport 30 from which best in Figs. 4 and 5. A wire conductor 36 leadsfrom one of these bars as 34: to the grid post ofthe base.

Surrounding and spaced from the parts just described and from each otherare a pair of anode plates 37 each having a sturdy supporting post 38and from which leads a wire 39 downward through the' pedestal where theyare twisted or otherwise connected together and are united with theplate stud of' the base. The plates 37 have the same eneral constructionand characteristics as t ose described in connection with the B batteryeliminator above described except that they are spaced from each otherat all points, leaving a gap 40 instead of being united along the web'sor fins. These plates except for the wire connection with each other at39 are entirely separated from each other and from all the other solidportions of the structure.

This bulb is exhausted of its air and then charged with gases insubstantially the manner above described in connection with Figs. 1 and2 and is adapted for insertion'into a B battery eliminator hereindescribed, as well as being useful for receiving purposes. It it to benoted also that the A battery elimi standard socket such as 25 aboveindicated.

nator herein described may in certain hookups, serve alone as aneliminator of both the A and B batteries. I wish to point out also. thatthe plates 21 and 37 may be made of any suitable metal such as aluminumor iron, or any suitable alloys including preferably. a suitablepercentage of volatile metal such as magnesium. \For example,-the platesmay be made of aluminum with a one per cent ingredient'of magnesium. Orinstead of such construction the plates may be made ofplain metalsuitably dipped or otherwise impregnated with'a volatile metal coatingor deposit.

I claim: 1. /A rectifier tube comprising a plate element, a porousrefractory tube-impregnated with a metal of high chemical activityadjacent to'the plate element, and a conductor within said refractortube and spaced from the wall thereof, sai plate and said conductorconstituting respectively the cathode and anode.

5 2. A rectifier tube comprising a plate cathode, a porous refractoryinsulating tube adjacent tothe cathode butspace-d therefrom,.and ananode comprising an element within said refractory tube and a membercoiled about the insulating tube from with- 10 out, said refractory tubeand said elementincluding a volatilemeta-l of high chemical activity. v

Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CONRAD SCHICKEBLING.

